Ski gripping cleat



July 24, 1956 J. M. MERCIER 2,756,063

SKI GRIPPING CLEAT Filed Sept. ll. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 22 27 INVENTOR. 4 Jean jV/MeT'og/er ATTDRN EYS July 24, 1956 J. M. MERCIER 2,756,063

sx1 GRIPPING CLEAT Filed Sept. l1, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTD R N EYS United States Patentl SKI GRIPPING CLEAT Jean M. Mercier, Dover, N. H.

Application September 11, 1953,-Serial No. 379,643

4 claims. (cl. 28o-11.37)

This invention relates to attachments for skis, and in particular a snow gripping blade or cleat pivotally mounted on a ski and adapted to be adjusted to extend downwardly into snow at one side of the ski to facilitate hill climbing on skis.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a snow gripping cleat that prevents a ski sliding backward, particularly in hill climbing and that obviates the necessity of walking with skis in a V or sideways.

Various types of attachments have been provided for preventing skis sliding backward when walking in snow and other devices have been used in combination with skis for facilitating walking when returning to the top of an incline or the like, however, such devices interfere with normal use of the skis. With this thought in mind.

this invention contemplates a cleat pivotally mounted on a ski and adapted to nest in a dat position against the upper surface of the ski when not in use and adapted to be adjusted to a vertical position when it is desired to to be mounted on skis now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provideadjustable snow gripping cleats for skis in which the cleats are of simple and'economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a base plate adapted to be secured upon the upper surface of a ski, a supporting plate pivotally mounted on thetbase plate, 'a cleat carried by the supporting plate, and a brace for retaining the cleat in an operative position.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a ski with the attachment mounted thereon and showing a snow gripping cleat extended from one side of the ski.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the intermediate part of the ski showing the parts in a nested position thereon and also showing the parts on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 2 showing the cleat adjusted to a vertical position in relation to the ski whereby the cleat is adapted to grip into snow, and the like.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the intermediate portion of a ski showing the device nested upon the upper surface of the ski.

Figure 5 is a plan view similar to that shown in Fig. 4 showing the cleat extended from one side of the ski and showing the brace in a position in which it is extended from the cleat.

Figure 6 is a plan view also similar to that shown in Figs. 4 and 5 showing the cleat in the operative position ICC ' upright or operative position.

porting plate.

gripping cleats for skis in which the cleats are adapted ,40

Figure 9 is a cross section through the ski taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 6 showing a clip for retaining the supporting plate in the position of retaining the cleatv in the upright or operative position.

Figure l0 is a cross section through the ski showing a spring clip for retaining the brace in an inoperative position.

Figure 11 is a detail showing a plan view of the sup- Figure l2 is a detail illustrating the cleat holding elements at one end of the brace with part of the brace positioned against one surface of the ycleat and with a hook on another part positioned to grip the upper edge of thel cleat.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the snow gripping cleat or blade of this invention includes a mounting plate 10, a supporting plate 11 pivotally mounted on the plate 10 with a pin 12 extended through an opening 13 in thev `the extended end which is positioned to extend over the upper edge of the cleat, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8 to brace the plate. l

The ski may also be provided with a counter-weight W to counter-balance the weight of the snow gripping cleat, the counter-weight being positioned on the opposite end of the ski.

The base plate 10 is provided with openings 21 by which it is secured with rivets or other fasteners to a ski, as indicated by the numeral 22 and, vas shown in Fig. 4 a clip 23 extends from one side for supporting the plate 11 with `the parts in the operative position. The clip 23 is substantially U-shaped in cross section and has a longer leg 24 which extends across a portion of the under surface of the base plate 10 and the upper surface of the ski 22. The longer leg 24 is secured to the ski 22 by screws or other fasteners 25, see Fig. 9. 4 The base plate 10 is also provided with an angularly disposed U-shaped clip 26 in' which the edge 15 of the cleat 14 is retained. The base plate 10 is also provided with an opening 27, the outer portion of which is closed by the pin 19, and a U-shaped` or member that extends around the pin 19 is formed withl a strap 29 of metal or other suitable material.

The bar 18 is also provided with a spring 30 that is secured to the bar with rivets or fasteners 31 and the clip 20 is secured to the extended end of the spring 30 with rivets or other fasteners 32 which extend through a base 33 of the clip.

A U-shaped spring clip 34 is also mounted on the ski as shown in Figs. 6 to l0 to provide means for frictionally holding the brace including the bar 18 and clip 20 in the open or inoperative position. With the parts as illustrated in Fig. 8 the upper end of the bar 18 extends through an opening 35 in the upper portion of the cleat 14.

The supporting plate 11 is formed, particularly as shown in Fig. 11 with extended tongues which are rolled to form the bearings 16 and 17 and the bearings extend through The shank'orrtongue-40 t of the `eleat14 is provided with a beveled surface 41 to provide clearancefor the pin 12 and also a beveledv surface` 42 that registers with theside of theski, as shown-in Fig, 4 whereby theentire device-is` withinthe limits or width ofthe ski.

The supporting plate-11 is also provided witha beveled surface 43 that is in a plane corresponding with one side of the ski withgthe` parts foldedgor nested, as shown inkFig. 4 and the;oppositecorner` ofthe supporting plate 11` isprovidedwitha recess, 44, thatfis positioned inthe upper surface and that is adapted to;slide below the-clip 23 to provide supportinggmeansyfor. the extended end of the supporting plate with the cleat 1 4` inthe'vertical or operating position.

Withthe partsfassembled;andmounted on a ski in'this manner the cleat with the mounting and retaining elements is folded to a nested position upon thelupper surfaceof a ski, as shownin Fig. 4, thepartsv beingpositioned forwardly of a toe or foot strap or brace, as indicated by the numeral 45, andl withthe parts folded or nested in this manner the ski is adapted to be used in the conventional manner.

A pair of skis upon which this assembly is mounted are, therefore, adapted totravel downhill or on a course in a usual manner and when it is desired toV return or travel upwardly` on a grade the cleats 14 are adjusted to the positions shown inFigs. 3, 6 and 8 whereby the blades of the cleats are adaptedtto dig into snow, or the like,

either with thesnow softor hard, and the person using` the skis-may climb upwardly without positioning the skis in.v

thel form of a V or without treadngwith one ski passing over theother.

In settingthe` deviceupfforquse the cleat 14 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig: 5i

and from!therhorizontalposition shown in Fig.' 5 the cleat isturned` toa vertical position asfshown in Fig. 6 inwhich positionthe clip; is placedover the upper edge with theV bar 18 extended through the opening 35, as shown in Fig; 8. By the same means thebrace may beremoved and the cleat foldedtoa nested position: upon the ski whenI use thereof is not desired,A

As-,illustrated-jinFig. 7 the-cleat includes an Lrshapedi body having ablade yextendedV from: one endrof thegshank 40 and the body is adapted to-.swivel` and lfoldtoa.` nested.'

positionupon thebase plateor skii- It will beunderstood'that modifications, withinthe scope of the` appendedclairns,-` maysbewmade inzl thedesign and*V shank,asupporting-platepivotally connected to the shank..

mounted on the base-plate and-having a clip. onthe extended end. adapted to be positioned over the edge of the plate forming the cleat for retaining the offset section of the plate in a downwardly extended position.

2. In a ski gripping device, the combination which comprises a base plate adapted to be mounted on the upper surface of a ski, a supporting plate pivotally mounted on the base plate and positioned to'slide on the upper surface thereof, a cleat having a shank with a gripping blade extended from one end oli` the shank pivotally mounted on the supporting plate and adapted to be positioned, selectively, in a nestedposition upon the base plate and ski or in an;operativezpositionwith the shank and blade positioned perpendicular to the base plate and ski, and a brace pivotally mounted on the base plate and having a clip mounted on a spring thereon for engaging the cleat to retain the cleat in the operative position.

3. A folding ski treading device comprising a base plate adapted to be permanently mounted on a ski so that the base plate is in `constant Contact with the ski at alltimes, a' cleat including an L-shapedbody having a shank with a bladecarried by one end', a hinge for connecting the shank to the base plate, means pivotally mountingthe hinge on the.: base plate; whereby the Lshaped body of the cleat facilitateszthe-operation of the cleat to selectively position the;cleatinia at position4 upon'the base plate and ski, or in a position perpendicular to the base plate and ski with the blade depending from one side of the ski, means for retaining the cleat in a at position upon the base plate and ski, and meansfor retaining the. cleat in a vertical position with the .cleat `perpendicular to the ski.

4. A foldingski treading device comprising a base plate adapted to be permanently mounted on a ski so that the base .plate is in constant Contact with the ski at all times,.

cleatin atflat position upon the base plate and ski, and

means for retaining the cleat in a vertical position with the cleat perpendicular to the ski.

References -Citedzin'the le ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,120,363 Jernsn June 14, l938` 2,316,252` Karlsson Apr. 13, 1943 2,611,624 Gurvich Sept. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 154,159` Austria Sept. 10, 1938 163,092" Austria MaylO, 1949 864,815 Germany Jan. 29, 1953' 279,302 ItalyL Nov. 8, 1930 185,704 Switzerland Oct. 16, 1936 

